Defending Champion Mateos and WSOPE Champion Roca Advance to Winamax SISMIX Day 2
Defending champion Adrian Mateos navigated a late spell on the feature table in the Winamax SISMIX Main Event here at the Gran Casino Costa Brava to make it to Day 2.
However, after defeating 1,252 on his way to the title last year in Marrakech, it looks like Mateos will have to defeat substantially more if he is to defend his crown after 547 entered on Day 1b. Coupled with entries from Day 1a, that makes 949 unique entries with both Day 1c and the Turbo Day 1d still to come.
Mateos was responsible for the shuffle up and deal earlier in the day, and the Spaniard said that it felt special on his home soil.
"It's probably the biggest field I've ever played in Spain for sure," said Mateos. "To make the shuffle up and deal is a pleasure and an honour for me.
"Today went smoothly for me. There were no big pots or all-ins. All pretty smooth. I've been lucky because the table was pretty tight. If players aren't playing many pots then I can't win many pots!"
Mateos has been a Winamax Team Pro since Autumn in 2017 and was fortunate to take down the SISMIX last year, just nine months into his tenure.
"When I signed I thought they wanted to make a tournament in Spain, but I'm surprised at how big this tournament is. I expected more people than [last year] in Marrakech, but this is crazy. They've completely sold out and they expect 2,000 people and they get way more. Both Winamax and I are pretty happy and we hope that everyone enjoys the tournament."
But the Spaniard reiterates that the SISMIX is a special kind of tournament, one not just about poker and bagging up for the next day. Instead, its focus is perhaps away from the felt and among the other activities on offer.
"This type of tournament is one where people are at the pool, in the parties, playing in the beer pong. People are enjoying it; it's like a holiday with poker than a poker tournament. It's way different compared to EPTs or big tournaments. Here people want to have fun and they want to enjoy. They want to have a really nice week or even a weekend.
"For the last four years, the SISMIX are the only �500 tournaments that I've played. It's nice to come back and see that people are here to enjoy [the poker]. When you play �10k or �25k people are really focused and want to win, but it's fun and really good to come here and see people just enjoying the moment. I really enjoy playing this type of six-max tournament. There's a lot of action and you play a lot of pots. The people are good to talk to and you have a good time in the tournament.
Players Advancing to Day 2
Leading the Day 1b field is Vincent Cavailles who is the clear chip leader with 870,000. Behind him Pawel Zawadowicz (673,000), Carl Dobrzelewski (618,000), Ali El Alj (589,000), Thomas Baron (565,000), Thomas Rahaba Risoa (526,000) and Guillaume Gomez (514,000) are the only players above 500,000 in chips.
Former WSOPE champion Marti Roca (242,000) is also advancing to Day 2. Roca, who was born in Barcelona, took down the 2017 WSOP Europe Main Event for over a million Euros and will join his compatriots Mateos and Leo Margets, who advanced from Day 1a, in the Day 2 field.
The remaining Winamax Team Pros and other players looking to enter this record-breaking festival can do so on Friday, May 24 at 12:30 local time. Winamax Team Pros Aladin Reskallah and Bruno Lopes will have to jump into the Turbo Day 1d flight, the only re-entry option allowed, which gets underway at 10 p.m. on Friday. All Day 2 players will return on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. local time to resume play.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for continued coverage of the Winamax SISMIX festival.